The way things were
by Lily Potter4
Summary: Dumbledore told Harry everything that he knew about his parents. almost. but there is one thing he didn't tell him. Something so importatant... He concealed the fact that his parents are .... R&R please , to find out. AH ! CHAPTER 10 IS FINALLY UP !!!!!!!
1. The Way Things Were

The way things were  
  
I had told Harry everything. Everything he ever wanted to know about his  
parents. Well , almost. I told him how James saves Snape's life. How Lily  
died to save him. I told him everything. Their name. Why Voldemort was  
after harry. Why he was after them . But some things you can't tell , for  
more than one reason. The choices that we make are so diverse , and can  
affect out future in so many ways , you can't tell how things should have  
been. Just the way things were . I hadn't told Harry everything. If he knew ,  
he might ... he might do something drastic. Like try to find the,. And if he  
found them ... things could get disastrous. I wish things hadn't turned out  
this way , wish they would n't be this way. But what happened , happened a  
long 15 years ago. Sirius doesn't know. Remus doesn't know. Harry doesn't  
know. I know. The old Minister Dorian , knew. But he is dead. So that  
leaves me. And me alone. I carry the burden. The burden of hiding  
something. Of not being able to tell him. I wish I could. I really do. I wish I  
could , because it would mean so much. But I can't. I can't for certain  
reasons. I can't tell Harry that his parents are alive. 


	2. The Flower and The Stag

"Ron ! Wait up !"  
"Oh , hey Harry ! How are you ?"  
"I'm alright ... where were you at breakfast ?"  
"No where ." But Harry didn't believe him.  
"Come on . Where were you ?" He asked , teasingly.  
"No where. Don't worry about it."  
"I'm not worrying. You're a big boy. But would the sudden disappearance  
have something to do with the also missing Lavender Brown ?"  
Ron squirmed.  
"Hah ! I knew it ! Took you guys long enough !"  
"But rich coming from you."  
"And what is that supposed to mean ?"  
"Nothing. Let's go. We have ... drum roll please ... Divination !"  
"Oh God. Kill me now , please ."  
"Come on. Cho would miss you ."  
"Would you ?"  
Ron thought about this.  
"I doubt it."  
"Oh , thanks."  
"I'm joking. Any who , lets go and pretend to see death signs in tea leaves ,  
shall we ?"  
'Sounds great."  
***  
But when they arrived in Divination , they were slightly less excited about  
it.  
"I hope we never have to climb those bloody stairs again."  
"Don't count on it. We have to every Monday , and Wednesday , and  
Friday..."  
"Aren't you the optimistic one ?"  
"Oh shut your trap. I have to go in there and listen to Trelawny predict my  
death for what ... the fourth year in a row . I'm not supposed to be a little  
ray of sunshine."  
"Be happy. It's Seventh year."  
"I know. I can't wait."  
"Until what ?"  
'Graduation."  
"Yes you can."  
'What do you mean ? Of course I can !"  
"No. You will have to go back to the Dursleys , and think about what you  
are going to leave behind ... Cho , Hermione , Dumbledore , Hagrid ,  
Parvati, Neville , Dean , Seamus ... I think you really will miss this."  
How depressing . Harry thought.  
***  
"Please , my children , come up and take a tea cup. We will be reading tea  
leaves to day ..."  
Ron turned to Harry , and they both began to laugh. Reading death symbols  
in tea leaves was Harry's favorite ... Yeah right.   
Ron came back with 2 teacups , nearly laughing his head off. They each  
grabbed one , counted to three ,and chugged. When they were done , they  
each grabbed their books , and opened to the page with symbols. Harry had  
gotten very experienced in this , but the dull smoke and smell of the room  
was frazzling his brain.  
"Harry ?"  
"Yeah ?"  
"Are you alight ? You looked a bit out of it."  
'Yeah. I'm fine. Don't worry."  
Harry peered into his tea cup. He could see the grim , as usual , but there  
were 2 others there which he never seen before . He turned his cup again.  
The two symbols weren't in the book. He looked at them closely . One of  
them resembled a flower . A flower ... and a stag ...  
  



	3. Harry , they're - they're dead !

A/N : Thanks for everyone who reviewed , especially Seeker_2000 . But in  
response to one of my reviews , about how they came out of his wand , I  
have a few answers. First , Dumbledore says that it was NOT their ghosts  
that come out of the wand , just an echo. The spell was said , the rest ... I  
can't say , and you are going to have to read more !   
  
  
***  
Harry peered into his tea cup. He could see the grim , as usual , but there  
were 2 others there which he never seen before . He turned his cup again.  
The two symbols weren't in the book. He looked at them closely . One of  
them resembled a flower . A flower ... and a stag ...  
***  
  
Harry stared down into his cup , openmouthed and gaping. The flower and  
the stag , the symbols of his parents ... what did it mean , if anything ? But  
they were dead ! Yet , there it was , along with Sirius' sign. Was Lupin in  
there ? Or Peter ?   
"Harry ?"  
Harry heard someone calling through the gloom.  
"Harry ! Snap out of it !"  
Harry glanced up , into the white face of Ron.  
"Harry what happened ? You went all white , and then you were , staring  
into your cup - and - it was a little scary ..."  
"Ron. Ron - Look in my cup . What do you see ?" He managed to choke out.  
Ron looked at him strangely . But he took the cup.  
"I see a load of soggy stuff."  
"No. Look - closer."  
"I see that stupid grim again. What else is new. Don't tell me you are  
scared over that."  
"No. Look. The flower. And the Stag."   
Ron looked in , and rotated the cup. And then -   
"Blimey ! What do you think it means ?"  
"I have no idea . No idea."  
"Bloody hell ..."  
  
***  
  
"So Hermione , that's it."  
"Oh. Gosh Harry , that sounds - well - bad !"  
"Of course it does 'Mione ! It sounds like his dead parents are trying to  
signal him or -." He stopped at the look on Harry's face.  
"What ?"  
"I just said that they might be trying to -."  
"My dead parents ? Oh. Thanks Ron. Thanks a lot."  
And he stormed out .  
"Hermione ? What just happened there ?"  
"Um ... ?"  
***  
  
Harry walked into the library , and marched right up to Madame Pince.   
"Um , Could you tell me where the divination section is ?"  
"The Divination section ?" She stared suspiciously at him.  
"Yes ! I do believe I take the course here !" He was very irritable by now.  
She shot him a swift glare , and then acknowledged for him to walk with  
her. She stopped in front of a large section of books.  
'Here."  
"Thanks."  
She made no move to leave.  
"Um ? Could you excuse me please ?"  
And she turned to walk away , looking back every 3 seconds.  
Harry looked through the shelves , finally settling on the book   
Omens and Opaques .  
He had no idea what opaque meant , but omens must have something to do  
with whatever he was looking for.  
  
***  
  
"Harry ! Harry where are you ?"  
They had been searching the halls for him for a while now.  
"We should go to the Library."  
"Yeah Hermione. Just what Harry thinks. When in doubt , go to the library."  
"He might !"  
"Fine ! We'll go there."  
"Good."  
"So ..."  
'How's Lavender ?"  
"Uh , she's great !"  
"Good."  
Hermione hated small talk. When they reached the library , she was greatly  
relieved.   
"Harry !"  
She spotted him. She went over , and sat down. He looked up at her ,  
scowled , and bent over his book , pulling it off the table , and up to his  
chest , making him look even more like a sullen 2 year old. Then , without  
warning , he dropped the book , and let out a gasp.  
"What is it ?"  
He picked up the book again , and pointed out a paragraph. Hermione  
looked over at it.  
  
Some people are given symbols , such as animagi , or someone with a  
distinctive and different name. Such symbols are appointed with an  
incantation , and a potion , involving highly complicates steps. These  
symbols are used for means of contacting someone. The most common  
occurrence is in Divination , on the bottoms of tea cups. If there is one you  
find , the first step is to ...  
  
Hermione didn't read any more.  
"But Harry ! How can they be trying to contact you ? They're , oh Harry ,  
they're dead !"  



	4. Back to the Future

Part 4 - Back to the Future   
  
The headmaster sat at his desk , knowing he had to be there , for some  
reason. He sat calmly , waiting. He had a sixth sense about being needed ,  
and sure enough , two minutes later , there came a knock at the door.  
"Come in." Someone opened the door. "Ah , Harry. I have been expecting  
you."  
"You - you have ?"  
"Indeed. Sit down , my dear boy , and explain the reason I owe the please  
of this visit to ?"  
"Well , it's not really a pleasure ... Any way , I was in Divination , when -"  
"That class seems to create quite a lot of problems for you , doesn't it ?"  
"Well ..."  
"Please continue."  
"Well , we were reading tea leaves , and I looked into my cup , and I could  
see the grim , as usual , which is , in a way , Sirius' sign. But there were  
two other symbols in there that I've never seen before. One was a flower ,  
and the other , the other was a stag. And I -."  
"A flower ? And a stag ? As in , your , your parents symbols ?"  
"Well , yes. And I looked it up , and the book said that they were trying to  
contact me ... but they can't ! I mean , they're dead !"  
"Hmm ... very interesting. I will contact you if I find anything on this.  
Harry? What was the book called ?"  
"Omens and Opaques."  
"Thank you . I am sorry , but I cannot offer you any information. I have  
never heard of anything like this ..."  
"It's alright."  
"Well , I am afraid I must ask you to leave . I have a meeting with the  
Minister."  
"Thank you Professor."  
"You are very welcome."  
  
After Harry had left , the headmaster sat down. He paused , thinking , and  
then picked up a bag of green powder. He threw it into the fire.  
"Pince ! I want a word !"  
Immediately her head appeared in the fireplace.  
"Yes headmaster ?"  
"Have the book Omens and Opaques removed from the library , please."  
  
***  
"So , Harry . What do you want to do today ?"  
"Go see Sirius."  
"Other than that."  
"Got to the Library."  
'And that to !"  
"See Lupin.'  
"God Harry ?! Can't you think of anything else ?"  
"Not really . I mean , could you ? My dead parents are trying to contact  
me!"  
"You have no proof that it is actually happening !"  
"I have proof enough !"  
"Fine. Whatever. Whenever you feel like being a friend again , let me  
know."  
And Ron turned and walked away.  
  
***  
  
That day , when they were in Transfiguration , McGonagall looked at all the  
students working. Potter , especially. He had always been the odd one out ,  
she knew that. He was more famous than almost everyone at this school ,  
without even trying. He defeated the Dark Lord long ago , and was  
constantly fighting the war against him. She felt sorry for him. Everyone  
put so much pressure on him ... it really wasn't fair. Finally , she was  
beginning to understand what Dumbledore had said that night , long ago ,  
when they had given Harry to his aunt and uncle. After 18 long years , she  
understood.  
  
***  
  
Dumbledore sat at his desk , poring over the prophecy he had received  
months before , knowing it was about Lily and James. However , he did not  
know what it meant , and the final two lines were missing. He looked over  
the last paragraph , yet again.  
And in a little boy , he will reach his downfall,  
The Dark Lord who once ruled all ,   
And if this boy should live to come of age ,   
He will have skill worthy of the strongest mage ,   
And once again , in him , He will fall ,   
This time for once , and for all .  
And the next two lines were missing. He could tell , for there was a chunk of  
paper that had been ripped out. He stood up , to ponder , and saw a shape  
flying towards his window. He didn't know what it was ... but then he  
realized. It was an owl , as black as the darkest night. He stepped aside to  
let it through. It dropped a letter on his desk , and then flew back out the  
window.   
Dumbledore picked up the letter , and took out a piece of old parchment  
that was inside. He looked at it. It was the missing two lines.  
And the friend of the boy , the stag , the flower ,   
Shall all die in sacrifice to rip him from power.  
And the letter simply said TONIGHT. It was signed with the Dark Mark.  
***  
It was hard to remember such things. He had been so sure that they were  
dead. And it was horrible. They were dead - So final , so complete , death  
was. And she had died ... The spell had been cast . She had been dead ...  
She wasn't anymore ... And neither was he. 


	5. Potty and the Weasel

  
  
The Way Things Were - Part 5   
  
***   
"So Harry , have you found anything out yet ?"  
"No ... I'm still working on it."  
"Do you want any help ?"  
"No thanks Hermione. This is something I'd like to do on my own."  
"Alright then."  
***  
"Um ... Madame , where did the book Omens and Opaques go ?"  
"Sorry , Mr. Potter , but we had it removed ."  
"WHAT ?!"  
"I'm sorry. Perhaps you had better leave ..."  
***  
  
That day , Hermione was working with Draco in potions , and she noticed  
him looking at her , strangely.  
"What ?"  
"Nothing."  
"I-"  
"So . How's Potter ?"  
"Why ?"  
"Aren't I allowed to care ?"  
"No. You don't care about Harry."  
"How do you know ?"  
"Hmmm , lets see , you have only had what ... 6 years of hating him ?"  
"Minor technicality ."  
"You are so -." But she was cut off.  
All of a sudden Draco had leaned over and kissed her.  
She pulled away , looked him in the eye , slapped him , hard , and ran over  
to talk to Harry.  
  
***  
"Oh my God. Are we seeing what we think we are seeing ?"  
"God help us all ..."  
Then Ron burst into laughter. Draco glared at him. He had just , for some  
reason , kissed Hermione , and wasn't in the mood to be laughed out.  
"Shut up , weasel. You too , Potty. At least I had the courage."  
"And at least she had the brains !" Harry quipped.  
Draco was confused.  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean ?"  
"Honestly , if you were any slower , you'd be going back wards. Don't you  
get anything ? And least she had the brains ? To pull away ? To slap you ?  
Are you purposely this slow ?"  
Draco just glared at him.  
(Duh duh duh - A sub plot ! I am a shipper of D/H ).  
"Oh shut up Potty . At least I took the chance. Where as ... you and that  
Ravenclaw seeker ... Oh , but she is still in love with Diggory , isn't she ?"  
Harry lunged at him. He wrestled Draco to the floor , fighting until Snape  
pulled them apart. Draco had an obviously broken nose , which was ouring  
blood , and Harry had a black eye , and from the way he was wheezing , a  
few broken ribs .Ron held Harry back as he once again tried to rush at  
Draco. Snape stood between the two boys.  
"100 points from Gryffindor . Mr. Malfoy , go up to the Hospital Wing. Mr.  
Potter , on to your next class."  
Everyone started yelling at Snape , but he sent them all on their way. In  
Charms , Harry was having a lot of trouble breathing. Something was  
pressing into his lungs , he could feel it. But he said nothing. Then , the  
world started spinning around him. The last thing he heard was Hermione  
calling his name , before everything went black."  
  
***  
( This is what harry's dreaming , in case you don't figure that out )  
  
"Lily ! Take Harry and run ! It's him ! I'll hold him off !"  
"No ! I can't !"  
"You must ! You must save yourself !"  
"James ! If It were only us -"  
"I know Lily !"  
"I would stay with you !"  
"I know ! Take him ! I love you Lily !"  
"I love you too James !"  
Lily saw his head hit the floor , she didn't hear the curse , but she saw the  
results . Next thing she knew , she was standing right in front of Voldemort.  
"Please ! Don't take my baby !"  
"Get away -."  
"Please ! Don't ! Not Harry , not my baby !"  
"Step aside you silly girl ..."  
"No ! Not Harry ! Take me ! Just don't take him !"  
"Very well !"  
"No !!!"  
"Avada Kedavra !"  
Lily fell to the ground , her arms wrapped around the tiny bundle. And some  
twenty feet away , James stirred ...  
*** 


	6. The True Seer

The Way Things Were -Part 6   
  
A/N : Thanx soooo much to everyone who reviewed. I have enjoyed them  
so much . Thanks to Michele Black , Seeker_2000 , N.E.O , zapper , Green  
Eyed Lily's Daughter , Kirst , Kelzery , Prongs , Rachel , Snow Bunny Fuzzy  
Slippers , ~*Charmsangel*~ , K.I.W.I , Jan Girl , and Juliana Edwards. I  
really appreciate them. Please don't flame , they will just be laughed at.  
  
  
***  
  
Harry could dimly feel someone slapping his face . He could still hear the  
screams in the back of his head ... All of a sudden , his eyes flew open , and  
he found himself looking up into the scared eyes of Professor McGonagall.   
  
***  
  
Professor McGonagall had just been instructing a normal class , preparing a  
sheet for the students to copy down notes from , when she heard a funny  
rasping sound from behind her. She turned around just in time to see Potter  
doubled over in pain , clutching his ribs. All of a sudden , he started  
wheezing , and rolled out of his chair .   
"Potter !"  
But he was out cold . She ran over to him ; he started twitching. Ron  
stepped back.  
"Where's the Dementor ?"  
"What are you talking about Weasley ?"  
"Professor , he only acts like the around a Dementor . That's the only time."  
He was twitching more jerkily now , and crying out. Professor McGonagall  
put her hand on his chest to stop him from rolling around , when -  
"His ribs."  
'What ?"  
"His ribs. They're broken ."  
'What are you talking about Mr. Weasley ?"  
"Draco broke some of his ribs in Potions. He must have ... Don't touch his  
chest."  
"In Potions ?"  
"Yeah ... he and Draco got into a fight , now Draco is in the Hospital Wing."  
'Why isn't Potter there ?"  
"Snape wouldn't let him."  
'WHAT ?"  
"I-."  
"But the boy's ribs are broken ! He could have DIED !"  
"I-."  
But Harry's cries stopped. Everyone quieted down , waiting . Nothing  
happened.   
"Wake Up Harry ! Wake Up !!!!!"  
The frantic Professor started to slap his face , in hopes of waking him up .  
Harry looked as though he had stopped breathing. And then , all of a  
sudden , his eyes flew open.   
  
***  
  
Draco sat in the Great Hall , thinking about what Hermione had told him -  
quite unwillingly . How Harry had collapsed in Transfiguration after he had  
broken all of Harry's ribs ... And how he had gone to the Hospital Wing for  
nothing more than a simple broken nose , which Madame Hooch had  
mended in a second ... Normally , he would be making fun of Potter ,  
throwing large swooning fits , fainting every third second , milking his own  
injury for all it was worth , but ... Today he felt strangely upset about it.  
Almost ... guilty. A vision of Harry twitching on the floor , crying out ,  
normally would have brought a smile to his face ... but today ... Who knew  
what , anymore ?  
  
***  
  
"You wished to see me ?"  
'Yes Harry , please sit down ."  
Harry settled down in his chair nervously , looking at the old Headmaster.  
Fawkes came and settled on his knee.   
"Now Harry , some disturbing news has reached my ears. Is there anything  
you would like to tell me ?"  
"About what ?"  
'People do not collapse in class , merely because. They collapse for  
reasons."  
"My ribs were puncturing my lungs !" Harry felt strangely compelled not to  
tell Dumbledore about what he saw. And his urges had kept him alive. Why  
choose not to trust them now ? But still ... he couldn't just , refuse ...  
Dumbledore would know he was hiding something. Then again , he probably  
knew already.   
"I understand that. But ... Do you remember what you were seeing ?"  
"No."  
Dumbledore looked at him , his deep , penetrating stare that always made  
Harry feel as though he could read his mind. In this case , that was bad.   
"You aren't telling me the truth."  
Harry didn't say anything.  
"I know you saw something. I don't know why you don't want to tell me ...  
Have I ever done something to make you not trust me ?"  
Harry thought back to third year , what he was thinking the night of the  
opening feast ... "you can't help but trust Dumbledore."  
So why shouldn't he tell him ?  
"No."  
"Then why won't you ?"  
"Fine ... I will. I saw my parent's dying ..."  
"Again ? Is that all ?"  
"No. I could almost tell what they were thinking. It was really weird. I saw  
my mother die ... And then ... I saw ..."  
'What ? You saw what ?"  
"I saw my father beginning to wake up ..."  
"YOU WHAT ?"  
Harry jumped back. He had never seen him get so excited.   
"I saw him stirring , almost to the point of -."  
'I see." He was back to being calm.  
"Professor ... The last time I had a ... well , vision , I guess , it had been in  
fourth year , and it , well ... it was true ... Is this ?"  
"No ! Of course not !"  
"Yeah ... I thought so ..."  
  
***  
  
It hurt him so much. But I couldn't tell him. To think ... what would happen  
if he knew ... But what was going on ? Surely ... someone didn't WANT him  
to find out ... And surely , they couldn't have found ways to contact him ...  
They would have needed help from the outside world ...   
  



	7. All that was needed was Said

The Way Things Were - Part 7   
  
Hermione sat in the common room , thinking . Harry was in the Hospital  
Wing , Ron was with him. She liked to do this every night . Sit by the fire ,  
and think. Just ... think. It helped keep her calm - and her head. The first  
things she thought of was Draco. He had kissed her in Potions. Totally came  
out of nowhere. She didn't know what she thought about it. She had been  
shocked ... confused ... and then sort of happy. That , she would admit to  
no one. And Harry ... what had he seen ? He would tell no one. He had  
sounded so terrified ... So unlike the strong Harry that she had know and  
come to love. He had sounded like he had on the train. In third year. When  
he had been faced with a Dementor . Harry Potter ... Draco Malfoy .  
Probably the two most eligible bachelors at Hogwarts. Yet ... Some things ,  
maybe , were just not meant to be .   
  
*  
  
"Harry ? Are you alright ?"  
"Yeah , I'm fine."  
"What happened in there ?"  
"In where ?"  
"In Dumbledore's office ..."  
"Nothing of importance ."  
"Sure Harry." He was being very sarcastic .  
"Well , I didn't want to tell him what I had seen ..."  
"You what ?! You didn't want to tell HIM ? Why ?"  
"I don't know. It was just my instincts telling me not to ."  
"Well ... Did you tell him ?"  
'Yes."  
"Why ?"  
"He knew. He knew I was hiding something ."  
"Are you going to tell me ?'  
"Ron-."  
"I know , I know."  
"You know I can't ."  
"But why ?"  
"I just - I can't even figure it out ..."  
"Please Harry ..."  
"I'm sorry - I just - just - can't ."  
  
*  
  
"Hermione ! Wait up !"  
Hermione turned around to see Draco running after her. She gave him cut-  
eye , and then turned back towards Harry and Ron.  
"Hermione ! Please !"  
Hermione turned to Harry and Ron. "Could you give me a minute ?"  
They nodded , but stayed , staring apprehensively at Draco.  
"I think she means 'shove off for a few'." He said , glaring.  
Hermione nodded at the disbelieving faces , and looked at Draco .  
"Hermione - about yesterday ..."  
"It never happened ."  
"What ?!"  
"It never happened . Right ?'  
"Right ."  
  
*  
  
Dumbledore sat down in the grave yard , kneeling next to two of the head  
stones . He , and he alone , knew that they held empty coffins.  
"Lily - James ... I am so sorry... I don't know if this is normal for me to do  
this , but I have thought about you a lot these past few days ... keeping a  
secret from Harry is so hard ... He wants to know everything ... From the  
minute you woke up , James ... Nothing was the same ... nothing."  
  
Feeling that all that was needed was said , he stood up , and turned around.  
A tall man , with greasy black hair stepped out from behind a tree , where  
he had been praying on his mother's grave ... he had heard everything ...   
  
*  
18 figures crawled along the ground. As the reached the solitary shape in  
the middle , they kissed the hem of it's robes.  
"Master ... Master ..."  
They stood up , and formed a silent circle. No one dared look around , only  
the figure in the center began to move.  
"My friends ... Welcome. The time has come , my friends ... It has come at  
last. I have made my decision , a decision which has taken 20 long years. I  
have conquered all. All but one thing. Hogwarts. You know it. I know it.  
People say I am afraid , afraid of that muggle loving fool , Dumbledore. It is  
time to show them that I am not. Lucius , I am asking you to set up the  
procedure . I believe you son is at Hogwarts ... is he not ?"  
"Yes Master. He is."  
"Very well. He supports our side ?"  
"Yes , master."  
"Good. I want you to find out information from him. It is December now. By  
April , we attack. Have I made myself clear ?'  
"Yes Master."  
"Very well. Construct a team of 5 or 6 to help you . Make sure it is done  
right , or it will be the last thing you do."  
Lucius gulped. He nodded , and then turned away to disapparate , hoping  
no one would see the tears on his face. He had to attack his son's school.  
Who knew who would be killed . Maybe even Draco ... but Death Eaters  
don't care. Once a wizard goes over to the dark side , nothing and no one  
matters to him any more .... right ?  
  
*  
  
Harry , Ron and Hermione were in Potions Class , talking. Snape wasn't  
here yet , so they were taking advantage of the Snape-free time. To tell  
the truth , Harry was a little worried , after what happened in last potions  
class . Snape suddenly swept into the dungeon , and slammed his books  
down on his desk.  
"Take out your cauldrons."  
They all did .   
"Open your books to page 333 . We will be making the draught of the Living  
Dead today ."  
They all opened their books , and found themselves staring at the recipe for  
what looked like an extremely complex potion . They began to make it ,  
while Snape came around and helped everyone. Well ... Helped those who  
didn't need it. Namely , Draco . The rest , he just flipped out at. When he  
reached Harry , he looked down at his potion , and then at him , and then  
turned to go onto Hermione. But Harry had seen the strange look on his  
face. Sort of sad ... desperate ... almost - pity ? 


	8. The Final Battle ?

The Way things Were 8   
  
Snape sat in his bedroom , thinking . James Potter was alive ... It didn't  
make sense ! Of course he wasn't alive. He must have heard Dumbledore  
wrong. James Potter was dead. He died 16 years ago. And so had Lily ...  
now , Snape wouldn't mind if Lily was alive. This time , he would make her  
understand ... He would make her see ... That he was so much better than  
Potter... This time around ...   
  
*  
  
When Harry and Ron reached Divination the next day , they were sick and  
tired of it already , and Harry certainly didn't want to go in. He hadn't told  
Ron yet about what happened , and Ron had stopped asking . Maybe he  
realized that it just wasn't worth it ; Harry always told him eventually . As  
the silver stairs descended ( geez , what was Trelawny thinking ? Trying to  
make it like the stair way to heaven or something ?) , Harry sighed deeply ,  
and prepared to brave yet another day of death predictions and hazy  
memories. The Same old thing , incessantly . Well , at least she was  
consistent . Ron groaned loudly at the stifling heat in the class room ,  
which was always there .  
"Ugh . I hate it in here !"  
"So do I ."  
'Harry , can we quit this course ?"  
"I wish . But , sadly , no ."  
"Hermione did !"  
"Hermione was talking 20 courses ."  
"Your point ?"  
"Never mind. Let's just go in ."  
"Alright ..."  
  
Harry sat , waiting , for Professor Trelawny . He sighed deeply , looking around the class room.  
Parvati and Lavender were already examining their crystal balls , exclaiming to each other . Ron  
was sniggering with Dean and Seamus , looking at Parvati . Everything seemed to normal ... so  
perfect. But it wasn't . Somewhere in here , some one was always hating someone. And  
somewhere , there was an evil so great , it was impossible to fathom. Somewhere , Voldemort  
was planning something. He was always planning ; and he always got what he wanted . But he  
hadn't gotten Hogwarts. And he hadn't gotten Harry . The 2 things he wanted most . There was  
some weird power Voldemort had over people . And it wasn't in the form of a curse . People who  
wanted power , people who liked big friends , people who wanted it all , they all flocked to him .  
Everyone did in a way . Everyone went to the dark side in their own way . And Voldemort knew  
that . And he used it to his advantage . He was smart , Voldemort . He was very smart . Harry's  
thoughts were suddenly jerked back to the class room , however , when Trelawny walked in .  
  
"Good evening , my pets . I have a treat for you today ."  
On the other side of Harry , Ron was muttering .  
"What ? You're dying ?"  
"We are doing crystal gazing today ."  
"WOW !"  
"Yes , my pets , we are going to be freeing our minds , and gazing into the foggy depths of the  
orb . For , the fates have informed me that it will be very useful later in the year. They have not  
informed me why , but we must look to them for guidance ."  
Ron snickered. "Honestly woman , you say that every time !"  
Professor Trelawny picked up a match , and began to light the incense that surrounded the class  
room .   
Harry and Ron each pulled their orbs in front of them , and began to look.  
'See anything yet ?"  
"Do I ever see anything ?"  
"Point taken ."  
Harry sighed . It just looked like loads of fog. Just like it always did . For a few seconds , he  
thought he could see something , but ... then it was gone. Gone with the wind. Or , more in this  
case , gone with the fog. He snickered , and Ron looked up .  
"What ?"  
"Nothing."  
Harry went back to peering into the timeless depths . Then , there was a dark shadow. He glanced  
further into the crystal ball . It was becoming clearer now . There was a place before him , that  
looked familiar, but he was sure he hadn't seen it before . Everything was black. Flames were  
leaping in the background , casting shadows on a group of figures . Harry recognized them . It  
was he , Hermione and Ron . They were all crying , looking up at the castle. The castle ? Why  
would they be crying ? Surely , this wasn't - Hogwarts ...? But before he had a chance to ponder  
this , more appeared . There was an army , a sea of black cloaks . They were swarming around  
every where . A tall black cloaked man , stepped up , looking around. Harry could see the three  
friends run up and hide , where , he didn't know. And then the tall cloaked man pulled a couple  
out of the rows , and up beside him . He said something to the couple , and they turned to face the  
castle . They took of their cloaks in the heat , revealing them to be a man and a girl . The man had  
black hair , and the woman - well , it was hard to tell in the light . They turned around to face the  
tall , cloaked man , and Harry found himself looking to the blank eyes of - his parents .   



	9. The Letter

The Way Things Were - Part 9   
  
AN : Wow you guys ! You are amazing ! I got to 50 reviews ! Special thanks  
to everyone who reviewed , especially Seeker_2000 and Kelzery . Well ...  
off to the story !   
  
~*~  
  
Harry lay in his bed , tossing and turning in the darkness. He could hear the  
deep breathing of Ron , Dean and Seamus , and the fitful snores of Neville.  
All was as it should be - or was it ? What had happened today ? Harry was  
so confused . Harry had actually seen something in the Crystal ball . What  
he had seen frightened him . It was like the Mirror of Erised . There was no  
way to tell if what he was seeing was true , or false . He could go mad  
pondering it , wondering , hoping ... But his parents - they were dead .  
They had to be . Dumbledore said so . And they would never join  
Voldemort, would they ? After all , they were sworn enemies against him !  
Unless ... No . Why would Voldemort try to kill them if they were in his  
side? But then again , they might not be dead . Harry had been so sure  
about it before . But now ...  
  
~*~   
  
"Lavender ?"  
"What ?"  
Ron looked at her , her deep blue eyes reflecting the moonlight that was  
streaming through the common room windows .   
"Have you noticed something weird going on with Harry ?'  
"Aside from the fact that he sees weird things in Divination , and collapses  
in Transfiguration ?" She said , sarcastically .   
"Well , I was just asking you , because you are sort of a seer ."  
"Sort of ?"  
"Well , are you or not ?"  
"I don't know . Sometimes , I see things. Other times , I can't."  
"You need you're inner eye testing , if you ask me ." Ron said , suddenly  
recalling a conversation that had gone on between him and Harry .  
"What ?"  
"Nothing . Nerve mind . It's nothings."  
Lavender cast a suspicious glance at him .   
"Well , sometimes I can see things . I can see what I want to be . I could  
see you and ... and me . I couldn't see Cedric dying . I couldn't see  
Voldemort coming back . I can't see what's going to happen to Harry."  
"Which means ..."  
"It could mean anything. But if I can't see it , chances are ..."  
"It's not good ."  
Lavender nodded .  
Ron sighed , and buried his face in Lavander's shoulder .   
  
~*~   
  
Draco stared at the latter down in his hand . His hands shook  
uncontrollably, and he could feel tears beginning to find their way down his  
face . As a teardrop finally landed on the page , it blurred the ink , sending  
the torrents of blue out onto the page . He sighed , and tried to pull himself  
together . But it wasn't working . How could things have gotten this bad ?  
  
Draco ,   
Our master has called at last for you . You are to be initiated into the  
Society Of Death Eaters over your vacation . Congratulations   
- Father   
  
~*~  
  
Harry looked at the letter in his hand , at breakfast . His hands were  
shaking uncontrollably , and he could almost feel the tears beginning to  
course down his face . He looked down .  
  
Harry ,   
Our master has at last called for it . For the time . You will be destroyed  
over Vacation . Or Hogwarts. It is up to you . You may choose . Yourself ,  
Hogwarts . You always have a choice . That is yours. An owl will arrive at  
your window at 12 O'clock on may 6 . Be there with a response , or ... you  
know the consequences .   
  
~*~  
  
Hermione looked down at the letter in her hand , in her dorm . Her hands  
were shaking uncontrollably , and she could feel the tears on her nose ...  
She sighed , and began to read again .   
  
Hermione ,   
The Dark Lord at last called for your parents . I regret to inform you that the  
latest murder by you - know - who has , alas , been of your parents .  
Decisions about where you are to stay will be arranged ...  
  
~*~   
  
So it was happening , at last , for all three of them. The thing they most  
feared . Was there some possible way , that Voldemort knew ? What they  
feared most in the world ? Draco , a Death Eater ? Harry , forced to choose  
between his life , and so many other's ? Hermione - parentless ? ... 


	10. The Best Friend

The Way Things Were - 10   
  
Harry sat with Hermione at breakfast . Ron was missing again. So was , he noted with an odd  
smile, Lavender . Hermione was sort of , well , out of it this morning . She didn't even comment  
when Harry remarked about how the House Elves must be working up a storm to create a meal  
like this ... She just sat there and nodded .   
"Hermione ?"  
"Yes ?" Her voice sounded hollow .   
The Way Things Were - 10   
  
Harry sat with Hermione at breakfast . Ron was missing again. So was , he noted with an odd  
smile, Lavender . Hermione was sort of , well , out of it this morning . She didn't even comment  
when Harry remarked about how the House Elves must be working up a storm to create a meal  
like this ... She just sat there and nodded .   
"Hermione ?"  
"Yes ?" Her voice sounded hollow .   
"Are you alright ?"  
"Of course I am ! Why wouldn't I be ?" but she still sat there , staring at the Pumpkin Juice.   
Neville shrugged wordlessly to Harry , and then leaned over.   
"Do you reckon Hermione's not telling us something ?"  
Harry shrugged. It wouldn't be the first time . But ... He was also hiding something too ...   
  
***  
  
"Master ... Master ... Master ..."  
8 shapes crawled along the ground, kissing the hems of a stationary man's robes . After, they  
stood up, and formed a silent circle around him. This scene had been seen before ...   
"Well, well, well. Good evening, my friends. It has been too long. Too long." In truth, it had only  
been a day, but as they normally met every few hours or so ...   
He smiled a cruel smile, revealing sharp, snake like teeth.   
He turned to the tall figure next to him, on his right.  
"Has the letter been delivered to the Potter boy ?"  
"I believe so. The owl was sent, and Draco said Harry looked ... off... at breakfast today."  
"That is no proof."  
"I know, master. I will follow up with him later."  
"Today."  
"Today." Lucius confirmed. "Am I permitted, Master, to ask what the letter is for ?"  
"All shall reveal itself in due course."  
Lucius just nodded. There was nothing else to say.  
  
***  
  
Draco sat in the shower, letting the hot water cascade over his shoulders and head. He leaned  
back against the wall, and heaved a sigh. Well, he had known it was coming. There was no  
denying that. He had known forever. His father had always talked about how ' The Dark Lord has  
such high expectations for you. Most likely, because you are my son, but maybe he sees  
something else in the muddled mind of yours. You will not let him down, do you hear?'  
"Of course I hear, father." He said out loud.   
His father. The model citizen. The Death Eater. The killer. The giver. The one everyone in the  
ministry respected. Well, except for Arthur Weasley. But he had always been taught not to like  
him. Draco began to wonder ... Did his father only put down Mr. Weasley because Weasley  
knew? Because he could see right through Lucius ? And he could ... Draco knew he could. His  
father may be good at disguising, but nobody's that good.   
  
~*~  
  
"Ah ... Ms. Granger. I've been meaning to talk to you."  
Hermione looked up from her lunch.  
Dumbledore's blue eyes were staring down at her.  
"May I see you in my office after lunch?"  
She nodded deftly, there were tears in her eyes.  
He looked questioningly at her, and then at Ron and Harry, as if to the ask the question 'Do they  
know"? She shook her head, and glanced pleadingly up at him. He smiled.  
Of course he wouldn't tell. He had never told anyone about Neville. However, he knew this  
would get around fast. It always did. Just like Lily ... He looked over at Harry with the thought.  
He looked green, and pale. His eyes had dark shadows around them.  
What was wrong? But he couldn't tell. And, apparently, neither could Ron, who was looking at  
Harry with a mixture of concern and apprehension. Dumbledore turned away, however. He felt  
bad enough, keeping the secret from Harry ... The 'thing - that - must - not - be - named' as he  
had come to call it.  
  
~*~  
  
"Ah, Ms. Granger. Do step in, take a seat, put up your feet ..."  
Hermione came in, and sat down quietly. She certainly did not put up her feet, but rested them on  
the floor.  
"Pray tell, Ms. Granger, do you know what is wrong with Mr. Potter? He looked a bit ... off,  
today at breakfast."  
"No, I don't. I know he received a letter, I saw the owl fly up to his window when Harry was the  
only one in the dorm, and the owl flew away again empty handed."  
"But you didn't see for sure the owl handing the letter to Harry."  
"No."  
"I see. What color was the owl?"  
'It was a black, shiny eagle owl..." She trailed off as Dumbledore sat upright with a start. "Uh ...  
Sir, you don't think it has anything to do with, maybe, Sirius?"  
"I hope not ... Now, to a more pressing matter of business. I am very sorry, Hermione, to hear  
about your parents. Indeed, do you remember Harry's mother?"  
"Yes."  
"Well, 18 years ago, she recieved a letter. She hated James at the time, he, likewise. And she got a  
letter saying her parents had been killed. Now, of course, she was naturally upset about it. But,  
she went beyond that. She blamed herself. She told herself that, because she was a witch, they  
died. She was strained and horrible, and floated around the school in a daze. I do not want that to  
happen to you. You are like her, in a way. You both had top marks, and, before you knew Harry,  
you considered him a pompous git. But, you got to know him better, didn't you? And now he's  
your best friend. Well, the letter she got brought James and her together. He was the only one  
around, the only one she could talk to. Everyone else was on holidays. He was the shoulder to cry  
on. So, the point I guess I'm trying to make is, out of all that pain, all that suffering, when one  
door closes, another will open. I mean, look at them. They went from hating each other, to being  
happily married, successful aurors, and they loved each other until the day they died."  
"And then, they got themselves blown up by Voldemort."  
Dumbledore looked uncomfortable. Of course ... they didn't get blown up. But he alone knew  
that.   
"Yes ... they did. But that isn't the point I'm trying to get at. Do you know how they ... died ...?  
James died to save Lily. Lily died to save Harry. That's what true love is. And, in a way, maybe, if  
she had never gotten the letter, that wouldn't have happened."  
"Oh." By now Hermione was very confused. Was Dumbledore trying to tell her to fall in love  
with Harry? Well, she had already done that. She blushed. Oops!   
"Oh, I think I've made a mess of myself. Ms. Granger ... You can stay here over the summer if  
you wish. Please, for your sake and mine, do not get depressed. It's a road to nowhere."  
Hermione nodded. And then, tears began to build up at the corner of her eyes.   
"There, there ..." Hermione was sobbing into his shoulder by the time Snape barged in. When he  
saw them, he jumped back with a look of alarm on his face.  
"Ah ... Severus ..."  
Hermione jumped away from Dumbledore, and started wiping her eyes with her handkerchief.  
Dumbledore looked at her questioningly, as if to say, 'I need to tell him ..." She nodded  
resolutely.   
"Ms. Granger here has just received unfortunate news. Her parents were killed by ... by Death  
Eaters."   
Snape instinctively grabbed his left forearm, clutching it so hard, his fingers turned white. Then,  
he released it. He moved forward.   
"I'm ... I'm very sorry to hear that ... Ms. Granger." He said stiffly. He put his hand on her  
shoulder. That, was, Hermione supposed, his way of actually showing her he was sorry. She  
didn't care. She didn't want his pity. After a few minutes, she told Dumbledore she should be  
returning, that she had to go to classes. He told her to go back to the tower and sleep, that he  
would inform all the teachers that she would not be there. She nodded, and escaped.   
Dumbledore sighed heavily. "They are one of the first to go ... now, Severus ... What did you  
need to talk to me about ..."  
"Well, at the moment, it hardly seems important .."  
"Well, go ahead anyways."  
"A few days ago, I was at a graveyard, and praying at my mothers grave. When, out of the blue, I  
heard a man talking on the other side of the tree where my mother's grave is. Well, this man was  
talking to 2 headstones, which I had always believed were full. But, this man was saying that they  
were empty ... I wonder, how could this be? When everyone in the wizarding world knows that  
they fell 15 years ago?'  
"You over heard me."  
"I was not spying, I have done enough of that to suit my fancy, thank you very much. I could not  
help but over hear. If you do not want to be heard, perhaps you should check. I heard you say  
that James Potter woke up. I wasn't under the impression that you could WAKE UP from the  
Avada Kedavra curse! Had I known that, I would have woken up every damn person I used it  
on!"  
"You cannot wake up the dead. I have made that very clear. However, he did wake up. See, this  
is what happened . As you know, Voldemort came to their house on Halloween. If you did not  
know this, Harry, in third year was very affected by the Dementors. Every time they came near  
him, he could hear his parents dying. But, while he heard the curse that killed his mother, he  
never, I repeat NEVER, heard the curse that killed his father. James Potter woke up, after, I am  
supposing he was knocked out by something, or Voldemort did not want him dead, and saw his  
wife lying there. He took a fit, and when I arrived, for I was the first to, I saw him alive. I saw him  
preform the curse on his wife ..."  
  
~*~  
  
Ron walked in. Harry was sitting on his bed, reading something that was in his hands, Ron crept  
up silently behind him, and read it.   
  
... You will be destroyed over Vacation. Or Hogwarts...An owl will arrive on March 7 ...  
  
He read it all. He grabbed it out of Harry's hand, who hadn't even noticed that he was there.   
"Ron! What are you doing?"  
"How DARE you! When did you get this letter?"  
"Yesterday ..."  
"And you kept it a secret from me??? It's March 7 ... What did you choose?"  
Harry didn't answer.  
"When did the owl come?"  
"At 4 am."  
'Why didn't I hear it?"  
Harry shrugged.  
'Now it's almost noon! WHAT DID YOU CHOOSE?"  
Harry still didn't answer.  
"Please Harry, pleas tell me ..."  
"Me ..."  
Ron erupted.  
"You WHAT ?! No! You can't! I won't allow it! Harry, do you always have to be so damn  
noble?" He started crying. "No. I won't allow it. You can't die. I won't let you. I'm going to get  
Dumbledore."And he ran out of the room.   
  
~*~  
  
It was too late. Ron was too late. There was nothing he could do now. He smiled, half. It was  
over. It was all over. No more pain, no more having to live with his parent's death. No more.  
Soon, he would be with them again. He saw something black shimmer, and then, the black  
skeletal figure of Voldemort was in from of him.  
  
~*~  
  
"Professor! Please hurry ... Professor ..." He panted, as he saw Dumbledore in the hall outside his  
office . "Harry ... Voldemort ..."  
Dumbledore ran along with him.  
"What is it, Ron?"  
"Harry got a letter ... he chose himself ... Over Hogwarts ... Voldemort is going to kill him ..."  
Dumbledore broke out in an all out run.  
"Is Voldemort here?"  
"He wasn't .... I don't know about now ..."  
They reached the Gryffindor Tower. Dumbledore barged in, and they both ran all the way up to  
the boys dorm. They opened the door...  
  
~*~   
  
Harry writhed in pain on the floor. Again, the pain was searing through him. Hot knives, piercing  
every single part of him. His scar burned. Voldemort was just having fun with him. Before he  
killed him. And it was going the way that Voldemort wanted. Harry couldn't get up to fight, he  
was too weak. Harry heard the door open. In the haze, he could see Dumbledore and Ron. He  
could see Voldemort's lip curl.  
'Why Hello, Albus. Come to see your star student die? There's nothing you can do about it, this  
time."  
Voldemort raised his wand.  
"Avada-"  
And then Ron jumped in front. 


End file.
